


THE FULL MOONS PART THREE

by Powermimicry



Series: THE FULL MOONS [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Funny, Lesbian Character, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Short Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-04-04 15:06:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14022858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Powermimicry/pseuds/Powermimicry
Summary: The four women are separated.They each wake up to a different reality.





	1. THE FULL MOONS. CHAPTER 1 THE AWAKENING.

THE PICNIC ANOMALY.

THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 1. THE AWAKENING.

  
She opened her eyes.

Was this the awoken anxiety she had buried all those years ago. The ramification of a short but complex life, but whose life?   
Who am I?  
Her frightened memory desperately sought out faces. Slowly but surely some of the faces were given names. Finally she whispered her own name. Hua Mulan.  
Yet she did not recognise her surroundings. 50 foot hedges, either side of her and stretching as far as she could see. They closed in claustrophobically, almost breathing and looked down at her. She felt they were judging her. Their leaves were blue and red tainted and above them a deep purple sky that flowed too quickly.

She closed her eyes. This is a dream. This must be a dream. Clear your mind Hua Mulan.   
She grudgingly opened one eye, and still the sky, still the hedges and beneath her the blue grass she lay on.  
It dawned on her. This was a maze. All she had to defend herself was a pocket penknife.   
Crossed legged her mind dug deep, what was the last thing she could remember.  
Her throat tightened and a cry came from her mouth. “Ruby!”

“You stopped writing little Magnolia. Oh how it broke my heart. Why did you stop?”

Mulan turned around to face her mother.

  
*

She opened her eyes.

Ruby sniffed the air as she glanced around, and gave her ear a good scratch.  
The Hill she sat on loomed over a small island surrounded by a calm dark sea. A few green patches but mostly rock which were a mixture of creams and greys and dotted with small cobalt lakes and a deep cobalt sky where circled lilac coloured birds with large square heads and fat beaks and wings that seemed overly long and impossible to flap so most just glided through the air.

She took it all in. Questioned none of it. Her thoughts were subdued as she galloped down to one of the small lakes to paddle in the cool cobalt waters alongside the square headed birds.  
She tilted her head at her reflection in the water and growled a little.  
A bird waddled over and talked to her.

“Hello doggie!”

Birds talk?

*

She opened her eyes.

“Wtf”  
Granny knew immediately this was wrong even though her memory was fuzzy.  
She was curled on a cold white marble floor in an all white room. Except each wall had two closed black flush doors, all 8 doors were without handles.   
A voice.

“Hello. Are you operative?”

Said a posh English accent.   
A woman slowly appeared feet first. Light blue heeled shoes. Flesh coloured stockings. A light blue tailored suit and then a hat you would expect to see on a British royal. She was exceptionally tall and skinny with manikin facial features. Only the mouth had movement.  
Granny creaked and puffed as she stood up.

“Who are you? Where am I?”

“Who or what we are has no direct explanation in your language. We are not designed to answer your questions. I serve only as question that seeks the right answer.”

“Thereafter we are dispensable ”

Granny swung round, the second voice came from the other side of the room. There stood a doppelgänger.

“The right answer ...”

Another doppelgänger appears.

“A door shall open”

And another. How many doppelgängers can you have until it becomes a clone?

“A wrong answer”

And another.

“The door will dematerialise”

And yet another woman. Clones then.

“Until there are none”

That’s 7 clones.

“Think Eugenia, before you answer”.

That make 8. Each woman stood before each door. Cold glass eyes that stared out of manikin faces without blinking.

“How do you know my name?”

“We are not designed to answer your question.”

All now answered in unison.

“But please, how did I get here, where are my family?”

“We have no knowledge of past or future. We are only of the now. We are not designed to answer your question”

Granny desperately hung on to her sanity. She looked at each door. Okay then. Time to answer their question.

*

She opened her eyes.

Cora is not one to easily scare. Yet here she was sitting at some kind of dinner party, a long wooden banquet table overflowing with drinks and food of all colours. Her least favourite pastime making small talk with...with these blue skin, bald humanoids. Although she had to admit they looked rather pretty with their high cheekbones and strong noses. They all had turquoise eyes and wore a simple opaque tunic. They were not clones though, they had different body shapes with individual features and, to Cora’s eyes, genderless.   
As she glanced around the table she counted 9. They were chatting amongst themselves occasionally drinking a luminous yellow liquid. At times the blue skin would change colour. One leaned across the table to her and commented on the weather. Cora blanched. The questioner turned pink then blue again.  
She looked around. A rather over decorated hall with a high ceiling with gilt friezes and a variety of crests. Lots of large portraits of blue skins and huge vases on pedestals. One thing, the chair felt almost glued to her ass.  
The blue skin to her right squeezed her arm, Cora almost punched them. The blue skin turn bright green.   
Ahh Cora realised skin colour change was an emotional response. She smiled and the green went back to blue.  
As distracting and interesting as this was, Eugenia popped into her head. How on earth could she had forgotten about Eugenia? She decided to teleport, pictured the diner and one of the blue skins disappeared. Wtf was that about? The 8 started to get very pink and twitchy.   
Cora tried to teleport again, another blue skin disappeared. Now the remaining 7 were an alarming shade of green.   
Magic, it seems was not stable in this environment.

‘I hope the wine is palatable then’.

*


	2. THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 2. THE PREVIOUS DAY.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It started out as a picnic.   
> It ended in hell.

THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 2. THE PREVIOUS DAY.

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun on a backdrop of blue, not a cloud in sight. The birds were singing and chattering. The town was bustling and getting ready for market. Spring was in the air and all was well.

Granny was feeling optimistic and energetic. She nearly sang at Cora in the bedroom as she drew back the curtains to let the sun in.

“Cora get your sexy ass out of that bed right this minute, we are all going on a picnic today, it’s glorious outside”.

“Why Eugenia? Why do I need a picnic in my life? We have plenty food here. Why would I want to sit on a hard ground fending off hungry bugs with one hand and stuffing my face quickly with the other? Go have that special fun without me dear. Close those bloody curtains I need my beauty sleep”.

Nothing was going to spoil Granny’s mood or determination.

“Nope. You are already beautiful. Up you get sweet pie”

Granny pulled on the duvet, Cora grabbed it and a tug of war was launched. Eugenia won hands down and celebrated by bouncing up and down on the mattress until Cora had no choice but to get up, reluctantly but not without a few choice swear words and insults.

*

Mulan and Ruby had just dressed. Granny had popped in early and asked them along for a picnic. Mulan was a little quiet.

“ Ruby? Do you think I should I wear a weapon today?”

Ruby giggled and gave Mulan a big grin.

“It’s just a picnic Mulan, my love. Although pack your knife for the mushroom picking.”

Ruby loved picnics with Granny, her hampers were to die for. Granny knew everyone’s taste and catered for it even down to the smallest thing.

“Mulan. Baby what’s wrong.”

“I don’t know Ruby. My stomach says like otherwise. I feel somehow I should take a weapon.”

Ruby grabbed Mulan and kissed her nose.

“Your stomach just wants it’s breakfast I can hear it complaining. It will be okay Mulan. Try to relax darling ”

Mulan kissed her back. As they left the bedroom she gave her Jian a regrettable backwards glance. She wondered if Granny would pack the crossbow in the hamper. She hoped so. Today felt a little off.

*

When Cora staggered down stairs all three were ready and beaming. She gave them a mocking  
‘Yay!’

Granny picked up the biggest hamper Cora had ever seen.

“Why not just attach a handle to the fridge dear”

Laughing they started out.

The girls ran ahead in the forest while Eugenia and Cora walked arm in arm. They took turns in carrying the hamper.

“Eugenia did you pack the bloody sink as well?”

Granny just smiled. Her exceptional good mood was almost irritating.

“I thought while we are out I would pick some juicy mushrooms for supper, I know a very reliable patch not far from here”

“Sounds divine”

“And I asked the girls to pick some wild flowers to cheer up the diner”

“Magical”

“Listen Woman. You shall enjoy every minute today, and on that I insist.”

“From whence you came, forever I follow.”

Granny had to laugh and tickled Cora around the waist, she dropped the hamper and tickled Eugenia back until she begged her to stop. Granny was very very ticklish. Laughing they set off again.

Meanwhile the girls had wandered into a ring of colourful wild flowers and started to pick them.

“GRANNY! CORA! over here, oh these flowers are so prett-“

Ruby was cut short.

The air filled with static electricity, a dull but piercing buzzing wafted through the trees and the girls had to cover their ears. Hair stood on end and they had goosebumps on their arms. wildlife went still. The light became obscure and unreal.

Granny and Cora quickly caught up.

“Granny? Cora? What is it?”

Ruby watched Mulans face, as her hand automatically went to her missing Jian.

“It’s not a magic that I recognise.” Cora said unnerved by the atmosphere around them.

Mulan stepped back with a small gasp. A hole appeared in the air in front of them. It grew and as it grew it began to suck in everything close to it.

Mulan shouted

“Run”

The cut wild flowers got sucked in with fallen leaves.

They were already running, but it felt as they were not moving. The hole sucked them closer.

Cora tried to teleport them all but her magic flew into the air and was sucked away from her into the hole, and still the hole grew.

The hamper went next rolling over and over and bursting its contents, the hole gobbled it up and still it grew bigger as it fed.

Ruby was pulled in first and Mulan grabbed her hand but as they fell through the hole together her grip loosened.

Granny stopped resisting. She had seen in absolute horror her granddaughter sucked into a growing nothingness and knew she had to follow. Whatever the consequences.   
She shouted to Cora to save herself.   
As she let herself be sucked through she heard Cora shouting after her.

“From whence you came, forever I follow.”

*

 

 


	3. THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 3. THE WORLD IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulan is haunted by her past.  
> Ruby is a doggie.  
> Granny tries to open doors.  
> Cora gets drunk.

THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 3. THE WORLD IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES

“Mother?”

Mulans mind was furiously trying to process the situation. She knew this couldn’t be happening.  
But what was it then?

“Little Magnolia your letters stopped. What has happened to you? Every day I waited at the door to hear news from you. I never gave up on you and yet you disrespect me. Why did you cause your mother pain.”

“Really. Now? I am sorry mother but I don’t know if you have noticed but we are in some kind of blue maze. I need to find a way out, I need to find my friends.”

Mulan thought about her military training. Effectiveness. A warrior performing her mission depends on her capabilities and her ability to use those capabilities.

“Little one stay here and talk to your mother. Surely I am more important than friends? Let us build bridges anew. Please Magnolia do not leave me again. Come to me”.

Mulan was greatly torn. This couldn’t be her mother, yet so tempting. No. It was some kind of strategic plan to keep her here in the maze. To be a prisoner. Her instincts felt sure.

“I must leave mother. Please understand. Please. You can choose to come with me if you want to, can’t you?”.

Her mother’s face lost feeling, she wilted, and grew leaves, blue leaves and entwined with the hedges. Mulan held back tears and her growing fear. So beware of past illusions that distract you from the mission. That lure you into a false sense of security. Trust nothing but yourself.

Mulan put her right hand on the hedge nearest to her. First she will try ‘wall-following’ maintaining contact between her hand and the hedge and keep walking.   
Failing this she will try the Hansel and Gretel method, no breadcrumbs. Looking around she could see no gravel and leaves were not an option as the hedges shed. Her shirt then. She would have to tear it into bits if need be.

Mulan started the ‘wall-following’.

*

Ruby wagged her tail like mad at the square headed bird and splashed around the shallow water, sticking her head in the water for pebbles to pick up and throwing them back in again, with an occasional pause for ear scratching.

She had changed through shock and her mind had regressed. She was a pup.   
The wolf can protect its mind and body whilst slowly it heals that which has been lost.

“I have read all about dogs you know”

Birds Read?

“Of course I cannot remember the whole study. Hmmm let me see”

“Technically I am a wolf”.

“Ahhh The domestic dog is a member of the genus Canis. The closest living relative of the dog is the extant gray wolf and there is no evidence of any other canine contributing to its genetic lineage.”

Bored puppah Ruby nodded off while the square headed bird quoted facts.

“The archaeological record shows the first undisputed dog remains buried beside humans 14,700 years ago, with disputed remains occurring 36,000 years ago.”

The cold water made her sneeze and she shook herself.

“Hey, careful there doggie. Did you know the dog was the first species to be domesticated.”

Ruby was getting fed up and showed her teeth.

“Me not doggie”.

The bird pretended not to notice the growl and paddled around humming.

“Do you have a name doggie ?”

Pup held her head to the side and whined. That was something she didn’t know. Her ears folded flat.

“Don’t know. Do you have a name ?”

“Yes, I am Englebert. How do you do”.

Ruby first stared at him. Than giggled. Than laughed rather hard. Englebert looked offended.

“Well I declare that you probably have a name which is just as funny. You know doggie, Englebert is not an unusual name in my community. My father has a strong name, Montgomery, mummy is Antoinette yes grandfather was a great study of alien history. Erm Where was I? What part of the cosmos are you from?”.

Where am I from? Where AM I from? Her tail went between her legs and she walked on the shore with the bird following her. Two more birds waddled over.

“Hello there Berty”

“Ahhh doggie, let me introduce you, this is my same sex partner Bobbingwater but Bob for short.  
The cheeky looking one is my son, Harry.”

Englebert ticked his sons beak.

Ruby at first thought the birds all looked the same, but now she could see more, much more. She felt guilty for that.

“That’s So cool. Hello. I am ...am...”

Englebert stepped in smiling to help her out.

“Doggie who is actually not a doggie but a wolf, has a slight memory problem at this time. I am sure she will enlighten us all with a delightful name soon.”

Birds smile?

*

Granny thought well I have 8 chances so surely I can get at least one right.

“Okay door one, go for it”

All 8 in unison

“Go for what? We are not designed to answer your questions.”

“Ask me your question woman!”

Door one spoke.

“If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't got me. What am I?”

“Oh feck. I hate riddles.”

“Wrong answer”

The woman and the door disappeared.

“What? No. No no no. I didn’t answer yet bitch, omfg if I get my hands on whoever put me here”.

Granny was fuming. She counted to ten and did some all round breathing.  
She looked to the next woman which mentally she called Door two.

“Ask me your question”

“Sometimes I walk in front of you. Sometimes I walk...”

Exactly at this point Granny's glasses, well the hinge on the temple, took it upon itself to break in two and fall noisily to the floor. This distracted Granny for a second.

“...that I ever leave you.   
What am I ?”

A fecking nuisance that’s what.   
Granny stared at her. Do I guess? Can I ask a repeat of the question? Oh well here goes.

“Ask me your question”

“Wrong answer”

Door two and woman two both disappeared. One wall now was without doors. Just a white wall.

Granny started to walk around in circles to calm herself down, she was tempted to slap the remaining women. Okay Eugenia listen this time. Door three then.

“Ask me your question”

“What gets broken without being held?”

My fecking glasses. Ooo I know this one.

Granny bent down to pick her glasses up, as she rightened her arthritic knee let out a horrific crack that seemed to echo around the room for two whole minutes.

“Wrong answer”

And door three along with woman three disappeared.

“So arthritis is not a thing here then. Good lord”

“We are not designed to answer your questions”

“Feck you”

“We are not designed-“

“Yeah I know bitch, to answer my questions”

Why is something so simple so hard? Omg. Granny’s nose started running. The air was very stuffy in that room. She had no tissues, damn.   
She looked at number four.

“Ask me your question”

“What is always...”

Granny felt a sneeze building up. She held on to her nose. It made it worse.

“...coming but never arrives?”

ATISHOOOOOOOO

“Wrong answer”

“You are kidding me? Really? God help me then if I fart”

“We are not designed to answer your questions”

And number four door and it’s clone disappeared.

The whole situation felt like it had got out of hand. She had lost four doors and two of them because of bodily functions!

*

The blue skins that were 9 are now green skins that are 7.   
They were angry, loud and on their feet all looking at Cora accusingly.   
Cora casually tried the yellow drink and found it to be very good indeed. She drunk half a glass and then addressed the blue skins that were green.

“Calm down they are perfectly safe in a diner somewhere far far away.”

A smile and another drink. Feck, this stuff packs a punch. She poured herself another.  
Meanwhile the blue skins relaxed, sat down and all took a drink or three. After a while they were all rather tipsy as was Cora, who was uncommonly sociable.

“So, i said *giggle* I said to the bitch, Poison looks good on you. *giggle* I said, and then *hic* I said, death is most certainly your colour”

Cora laughed with a snort. The blue skins laughed high pitched. Although they had no idea what she was talking about her laughter was infectious and they were all seven sheets to the wind.

A blue skin stood up, coughed loudly and tapped a glass with a spoon.

“On this, my diner comrades, the anniversary of our 300th 4 seasons unit, this interminable if not incessant dinner party has been richly rewarded by a new guest. Let me introduce to you, Cora.”

The blue skins clapped then raised their glasses to her.

“Welcome Cora to the perpetual dinner party of Azure”

Cora stopped mid drink and spluttered.

“I beg your pardon”

Cora didn’t like the sound of that.

“You mean it never ends?”

The blue skins giggled like children.

“Of course not Cora. We are Azure. Soon we will be ten again. After the sleep we are always ten. Before the last sleep, two of us fought and one was killed in anger. That actually happens a lot you know. Anyhow regardless, you today are the replacement. A refreshing change I have to admit and very good on the eyes”

More insane giggling and exaggerated head nodding.

Cora realised this was her worse nightmare. She took another drink. The blue skin to the left of her started hitting on her. She brushed them off, but they got very persistent. Then they squeezed her knee. Cora’s instance reaction was magic, a sharp telekinesis push.  
The next thing she knew her chair had whizzed backwards and slammed her against the wall behind her. Her head wobbled from the impact and her drink jumped up into her face. She had forgotten her magic works differently here. Feck.

The blue skins now were in hysterics, some were on the floor crying. This was the best season unit ever.

So, if I use my magic on me, it happens to them and vice versa.  
I need out of here.

*

 


	4. THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 4. ANGER, SADNESS AND SOBRIETY

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulan continues to battles her past.  
> Ruby remembers.  
> Granny is loosing doors.  
> Cora witnesses a murder.

THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 4. ANGER, SADNESS AND SOBRIETY

Mulan had been wall-following for a while. She stopped and gazed up at the towering hedges. Still judging? A niggling thought had worked itself to the surface. What if this maze has no exit? What if she was in a designer hell doomed to wander for eternity.  
No. Training insists she must not dwell on negativity.

“You have lost the fight, Hua Mulan. You have lost. Accept your defeat gracefully as a warrior should. Give your loyalty to me and I shall reward you as a warrior should be rewarded. Let us sit in peace and lay our swords behind us.”

There stood Hun Shan Yu. Her deadly enemy. She felt anger. All she had was her penknife. Then that would have to be enough.  
She lunged at him but he sidestepped with ease laughing at her. She lunged again he sidestepped again. She realised it won’t happen. This place teased her. She would not be able to kill him.

She stayed sitting where she fell.

“So you wish me to stay, Hun Shan Yu?”

“Yes, as did your mother Hua Mulan. Yet she could not offer you that which I can. A mothers love is only good for so long. A warrior has needs. I can give you battles to win, an army to call your own. Riches and women of your choosing. Huh! even the best horse you will ever have ridden. You will be my second in command Hua Mulan. You will be the greatest captain. Songs will be written and sung about you. The people will look to you. You will grow stronger and stronger off the power you wield”.

Mulan thought for a few minutes.

“Yet tell me one thing Hun Shan Yu. Can you give me the only thing I really desire. My one true love, Ruby?”

He wilted. The hedge grew arms and embraced him in.

Mulan, tired but determined continued. She used the image of Ruby to give her hope, Ruby laughing, touching her face, whispering together under the bedclothes.  
Ruby was her compass.

“Yet Only i could love you more Hua Mulan. I would never have left you alone like this. See, behold, I am here for you.”

He did an elaborate bow.

“I would never make you so sad, I would and will dedicate my life to you. We are destined to be soul mates forever, don’t deny me. Give in to your emotions. Be mine Hua Mulan.”

“Hello Li Shang. Long time no see”

“Take my hand my love. Take my hand and all your sorrows and fears will fade. You and I will become one. We shall know joy for eternity.”

He held out his hand to her.

Mulan was angry that her mind was an open book to this, whatever it was, her enemy.  
Her defences would be used against her. She must keep her mind clear.

“You are not Ruby, Li Shang. You will never be Ruby. You are not my soulmate. I have never once loved you and now I despise you. Leave me be Li Shang or whatever you are and go back to your puppet master.”

Li Shang, as with the others wilted into the hedges. Mulan was so tired yet scared to sleep. She was hungry and thirsty but continued to walk. She remembered more now. The planned picnic, the noise, the hole that sucked her in. She wondered if the two older women were taken too.

“Rest my child. Rest. Here look, I have cold water from the springs and freshly baked bread for you. Come, sit with me child.”

“Father?”

*

Ruby rolled on the banks of the lake. She felt a little sad but not sure why. A good roll made her feel better, followed by a long rewarding scratch.  
She then waded into the lake for a drink. As she stared at her reflection she noticed deeper in the waters another picture take form.

“ENGLEBERT ! come and see this”

Englebert waddled fast. Ruby was impressed especially as his very long wings were wrapped around his waist twice.

He looked down into the waters.

“I see you doggie and I see my very well groomed self”

“No look beyond the reflection of us”

Englebert took out a pair of glasses from under his wings.

“Birds wear glasses?”

“Of course dear, all those years reading in the nest under the moonlight. Mother did warn me”

He looked hard.

“Oh my. Oh my. Yes I see it. It’s a construction of ...I think they are called houses. Quite a few”

Ruby started to remember. One memory opened a flood of memories that poured through her thoughts. It made her dizzy. It also made her very sad.

“Omg. It’s my home. Englebert it’s my home”

She burst into tears. Englebert wrapped a wing around her. Bob and Harry rushed over.

“My name is Ruby. I am lost”

They all wrapped their wings around her. Harry spoke quietly

“Hello Ruby. That’s a pretty name for a doggie”

But doggie started the change. The wolf had healed her trauma. The birds stood back, not scared but amazed and in awe. A red headed human girl sat up and gave them a shy smile. Englebert took out a notebook and started furiously to take notes.

Birds write?

“Ahhh a homo sapient Bob. Not quite what I expected from the pictures I have studied. Intriguing and fascinating-“

Bob nudged and shushed Englebert. Ruby was dealing with with mixed emotions.

“I remember. Oh hell I remember”

She looked to the lake.

“Oh Mulan. Where are you? How do I return home?”

The three birds put their heads together and started talking. Englebert paused a moment and looked to Ruby. He said in a reassuring voice,

“Don’t worry Ruby doggie, with our combined university training, intellect and PhD we will figure it out”.

Birds did school?

*

  
4 doors left so be calm my noisy body. A huge sigh first, get that out the way.  
She looked to number 5. Damn she’s skinny.

“Ask me your question”

“What disappears the moment you say it’s name?”

I wish it was me thought Granny. She felt panicky and stressed and it’s like her brain took a vacation. Yeah it’s different on the sofa watching a television quiz, you are relaxed and there’s nothing to lose except your dignity when the girls laugh at you for answering Wrong. The more she grasped the answer the more it eluded her.  
4 doors left. 4 doors left. It rolled around and around in her head. It’s akin to knowing you have to get up early but can’t sleep and the hours are ticking down and you are thinking four hours sleep I can manage then three then two then...omg I need to relax. Think about something else, something nice. Cora, yes Cora. What would Cora do? Erm maybe not.  
Cora would punch their lights out and kick a door in. Maybe I could? Shall I? Would an act of violence forfeit all doors? I can’t chance that. Feck! What did the bitch ask?

“Erm I forget the question”

“Wrong answer”

Door 5 and it’s skinny clone disappeared.

“Oh shit, why? why? Why?”

“We are not designed to answer your questions”

“Neither am I”  
said a very depressed Eugenia looking at the 3 remaining doors.

*

Cora staggered back to the table after she had squeezed her ass out of the chair. I mean what is that about it’s almost pervy, a chair that won’t let go.  
The blue skins were in a wonderful mood. One had even dared to dance on the table kicking food and glasses on the others. This ensued an irate blue skin (green at this point) to throw a chicken drumstick at the dancer and the aim was spot on. Bang in the eye.  
At this point the dancer threw it self at the thrower. A fight ensued and the dancer was fatefully stabbed by a fork. Everyone except Cora and the dancer went pink.  
Cora suspected after 300 unit seasons that this was probably not a complete surprise I mean being with the same people for seasons on end, well she already feels she could murder them all.  
The 6 Pink skins gradually went blue. The dancer was propped up against a wall at the far end of the hall then ignored and all got merry again.

“Are you just going to leave it there?” She asked.

“Oh yes we always do. After the sleep it will be gone and our numbers back to ten”

Cora stopped drinking. She needed out. How to manipulate her magic to end this horror show.  
A spark of an idea formed.

*

 

 

 

 

 

 


	5. THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 5. TRUTH AND KINDNESS.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulan fears her will is weakening.  
> Harry teaches Ruby to hold her breath.  
> Granny is at 3 doors.  
> Cora makes blue skins disappear.

THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 5. TRUTH AND KINDNESS.

“Come here my child and break bread with me”

Huan Hu gestured a spot on the grass in front of him.  
Mulan sat crossed legged opposite her father. She knew it couldn’t be him. Yet she needed someone to talk to.

“My sweet child, you look drained. Let us eat first then you must rest. I will sit by your side while you sleep as I did when you were a child to chase away the bad dreams.”

“Father, I don’t know how to explain this. I dare not eat nor drink what you offer for fear I might become a part of the maze. I dare not sleep for I might never wake again. I have walked for what seems like an eternity looking for an exit, if one does exist. I have lost my lover and friends and dread the fact I might never see them again. I am now doubting my own very existence. Father, can you tell me if I have died?”

“Why no my child. You are very much alive. Yet you need sustenance to stay strong. To persevere. Please it hurts me beyond words that you refuse your own fathers offering”.

Mulan pinched her forearm just in case. The pain felt good. Yes she was very much alive.

“Father I must now leave you. Thank you for listening and your kindness. We shall meet again one day, you, mother and myself, that I am sure of ”

She stood and bowed a little.   
As she walked away she could hear the rustle of the hedges.

It was hot. Much too hot. She heard a noise, a galloping? It couldn’t be,   
her horse from the wars! Khan. Oh my faithful Khan. He galloped up to her and crouched down for her to jump on as he always did. If she jumped on him she might find her way out quicker.  
No. She backed off.  
She dare not touch him. Khan looked at her with a sad rejection in his eyes.   
Mulan started to run. Tears streaming down her cheeks. Her will was weakening.  
She didn’t know how much more she could endure.

*

Englebert, Bob and Harry gently approached the sad girl. Englebert spoke first.

“Hello Ruby. We have analysed this deeply and from every angle. Given detailed examination of the elements and structure, the psychological and the physical, this is of course just a supposition-“

Bob stepped in

“Berty darling, just tell the girl”

Harry ran to Ruby but tripped over his wings.

“Careful there sweetie. Ruby, I think and therefore I am. Erm no not that. To get home we think you must attempt to dive through the lake. We cannot tell you how deep it is nor how long you need to hold air. It is not without its danger. If you decide not to, then You are of course more than welcomed to stay and become a part of our family”.

Ruby considered this. She had come to like these birds and trusted them, but she wanted her family and it seemed logical to try the dive. Or die trying.

“I will dive guys. Thank you though. You are the best”

Englebert and Bob blushed.

Birds blush?

“Ahem. Excellent. You must practice holding your breath don’t rush into this. Our Harry will show you, he is an expert at diving for fish.”

Harry, had picked himself up and wrapped one wing around his waist and thrown the other over his shoulder like a toga.

“First you must practice out of water Ruby. So get comfortable and relax mind and body”

Ruby sat down and followed his instructions. Holding her breath longer each time.  
He then encouraged her to practice in the water.  
After a while they all chatted until Ruby felt she was ready

It was time for goodbyes. Ruby went on her knees for a group hug. For once Englebert was speechless.

“Thank you for everything. You have saved me. I promise I will never forget you guys.   
I wish I could let you know what happens. Wish me luck. She kissed each one on the beak.”

She waded into the lake, turned and waved. Englebert wiped his eyes with a wing.

Birds cry?

She waited until the waters were still and looked for home.  
After several correct breaths Ruby dived.

*

3 doors. 3 bitches. 3 questions.

Granny tried to remember the relaxation technique that Mulan had taught her. No good sitting cross legged her knees might get loud. So back to all round breathing it was.  
She tried communicating again.

“Who made you?”

“We are not designed to answer your questions”

“Do you ever think independently? Have names?”

“We are not designed to answer your questions”

“What if I became a crazy assed bitch and attacked you?”

“We are not designed to answer your questions”

She decided if she messed up the next two questions and the doors disappear then it was time to get tough. She would try, what she imagined was Cora’s way. Hmmmm Concentrate woman. Here goes nothing.

“Ask your question”

“Which creature walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?”

She knew this. She definitely knew. Oh dear heavens let me be right.

“Man. He crawls on all fours as a baby, then walks on two feet as an adult, and then walks with a cane as an old man”

A pregnant pause. Granny couldn’t breath.

“Right answer”

The sixth door opened. Granny couldn’t believe her eyes. Through it she could see her town. She walked to the open door and as she passed through she said

“Thanks for nothing bitches. Have a nice day”

As the door closed behind her, she heard for the last time.

“We are not designed to answer your questions”

*

Cora had come up with an idea which fingers crossed might work. She conjured up the teleport spell and mentally pictured the diner. As expected a blue skin disappeared. The remaining 5 laughed rather stupidly being so drunk and what a glorious orange they turned. Cora repeated the spell this time saying in her head, Granny's Diner. The remaining 4 watched as another blue skin disappeared and slowly went from happy orange to an upset pink.   
Cora repeated the spell. The remaining 3 turned green, stared at Cora and picked up dinner knives. Oh oh. Cora edged around the table, they edged after her. Again she did the spell and now 2 blue skins were desperate to stop her and started to chase her around the table. Round and round they chased her waving the dinner knives.  
Cora started to laugh and was grabbing food and throwing it at them. Again she did the spell and was left with one remaining blue skin who was a blinding luminous green.

“Wait. Stop. I will not make you disappear. I promise”

Blue skin looked at her suspiciously holding a dinner knife and a serving spoon.

“I have a magic which I will give to you to use on me. That way you know I cannot make you disappear. One small condition though. You must say in your head ‘Granny's Diner’. Is that clear? ‘Granny's Diner’ Then you will be rid of me forever and after the sleep you will have your 9 and can go back to your usual banquet”

Blue skin nodded. This woman was now a pain and needed to be gone. Why, they had never lost so many diners in one day. She had spoilt their fun.

Cora conjured up the teleport spell and let it hang in the air then using her telekinesis she shot it straight into blue skin.

“Now. say it.”

Cora disappeared.

*

 

 


	6. THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 6. THE TOWN.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Town, home at last. It’s over.  
> But is it?

THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 6. THE TOWN.

Mulan had reached breaking point.  
She sat on the grass with her head in her hands. She might as well sleep. Sorry Ruby but I cannot go on. Forgive me.  
She lay down ready to give in to the darkness.

“Well well well. Some warrior you turned out to be, Hua Mulan. Tsk.”

Mulan looked up. A dragon was standing there filing its claws meticulously.

“Wtf?”

“Don’t you know me? I am Mushu. You know, your dragon guardian. I must say Hua Mulan I am deeply offended that you don’t recognise me. I came a long way to see you, a hug would be kinda nice”

Mulan smiled. This was a story her mother had taught her when she was little. Mushu was the part of Mulan that was selfish, unpredictable and manipulative. Mushu was her shadow aspect. A part that she needed to acknowledge and accept. A make believe dragon that Mulan had to recognise to be self accepting and a better person. Her dragon taught her this. Not so much a guardian but more the Devil on your shoulder. It had served her well since the tender age of 3.  
She had forgotten until now.

Mushu spoke again.

“I knew you would amount to nothing. You always were selfish. There you lay feeling sorry for your self with no regard for others. I will have to find myself someone more worthy. You are absolutely no fun anymore. What happened to our arguments of morality. Today then I win. So Hua Mulan you might as well lay there and sleep. You have no other use.”

The dragon looked at its finely filed sharp claws. Then started buffing them.

This approach puzzled Mulan. She was ready to give in yet it only served to push her. The puppet master had accessed an intangible memory without realising its effect.

“Mushu”

“Yes Hua Mulan”

“You are not real. You were never real. You are a figment of my imagination that reminds me of this. That we have to make many choices in life and many of these are between good and evil. The choices we make, however, affect the people around us, the people we love, and we have to live or die with the consequences of our choices. You serve to remind me that I have a choice. I choose not to sleep. I choose not to give up. I choose not to accept that you have physical form. Goodbye Mushu.”

The hedges started to tremble and sway and slowly an opening formed. The blue leaves were shedding fast and heavily to the point that Mulan had to wade through waist high. She could see the town on the other side of the opening. Nothing can stop her now.   
At last. The exit. Home.

*

She felt as though her lungs would burst. It’s been too long. Too long. She tried to convince herself that she had plenty of time but felt light headed, any moment now she would need to exhale. She had regrets. She wished she hadn’t dived. No, that’s not entirely true. Was that a blue sky she could see through the water? Please, please make it so.  
She started to exhale. Short breaths out to give her a little more time.  
One more push forward, but she couldn’t hold her breath any longer. She breathed in water.   
A hand grabbed her hair and pulled her up roughly, spluttering. Air. Sweet air.

“Sorry Ruby dear, but I couldn’t see what else to grab. Come let me help you out”

Ruby fell into Granny's arms.

“Granny, oh granny how did you find me?”

“I was walking past the harbour towards town. I stopped to take in the view that I thought never to see again, and saw you below the waters. I would ask why but then, well after today...we will talk later.”

Ruby nodded.

“Have you seen the others Ruby?”

“No Granny”

Slowly, leaning on each other they walked into town. As they hit the high street Mulan was walking towards them. Ruby let out a cry and they ran into each other’s arms.

As if on cue the diner door opened and Cora stepped out.

“There you are Eugina. You realise the fridge is empty.”

Granny laughed so hard it hurt. Cora came over to her and held on to her tight.

“It’s over, Eugenia. It’s over”.

Mulan couldn’t relaxed though.

“Cora, where are all the people?”

It wasn’t over.

*

 


	7. THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 7. INTO THE FIRE.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The nightmare isn’t over, until it’s over.  
> Final chapter.

THE FULL MOONS PART 3. CHAPTER 7. INTO THE FIRE.

  
The ground suddenly gave out a loud rumble like an earth quake and shook violently under their feet.

Stillness. Never has a stillness held so much terror.

Again the ground rumbled under their feet. Heavier, closer.

Ruby went white as a sheet. Cora swore along with Eugenia.

“Merlins pants!, it’s not bloody over is it Mulan?”

“No.” Mulan somehow knew her exit from the maze ended too quickly.

The ground rumbled hard. The women nearly fell, and were hanging on to each other.

“Granny, what is it, is it an earth quake?”

As if to answer Ruby’s question a huge Tyrannosaurus’s head appeared behind the town hall and let out an almighty, ear piecing roar.

You could smell it’s breath! Granny would have much preferred the earth quake.

The ground rumbled.

The T. rex raised up one almighty large foot and squashed the Town Hall as if it were made of paper.

They all started running. Debris was hitting the ground at the speed of bullets.

The ground rumbled.

The T. rex roared and with its other large foot squashed another building.

“Head for the underground tombs”   
shouted Cora, trying to teleport them but as expected her magic didn’t respond.

Behind them the T. rex was demolishing the town, as if that wasn’t enough a Spinosaurus thundered in, the long extensions of its spine quivering as it moved. It was nearly as big as the T. rex and together they wreaked havoc.

Granny and Mulan were hit by a small length of timber and they went down. Mulan picked herself up and pulled the timber off granny. Cora and Mulan helped Granny to her feet. She reassured them that she could still run, only just. It was a wonder that no one was killed as large pieces of wood and brick crashed around them, as the roaring and smashing continued.

The ground rumbled.

As they ran, out of nowhere 4 winged furry lizards, pterosaurs, swooped over them with gnashing teeth, nearly taking heads off, making the women duck down as they ran. Mulan did a head roll, and along with Ruby took the rear using pieces of timber to swing at the pterosaurs while Granny and Cora threw broken bricks. They reached the trees which kept the lizards from flying low.

As they all stopped to take a breath, the undergrowth rustled.   
Two Velociraptors shot out at them, true to their name, swift seizer. The girls instantly changed and stood between the raptors and the older women.   
Granny and Cora took that moment to head for the underground tombs.  
The wolves knowing they could not win this fight lead the raptors away from the tombs.  
It was a close match as the raptors were as fast as the wolves, but they were hoping to at least tire them a little. The raptors caught up.  
Mulan warned Ruby not to attack from the front as the raptors had a sickle-shape claw on each hind-foot used to disembowel prey.   
Ruby faced the raptors growling while clawing the earth. She slowly sided to the right while Mulan on the left, crept into the bushes and circled them while they were distracted with Ruby. As the raptors roared to attack, Mulan leapt on the back of the raptor closest and sank her teeth in the back of its neck, the other raptor turned to attack Mulan and Ruby pounced quickly and tore its neck out.

The T. rex had now reached the woods and started to lay trees flat.

Granny and Cora were fatigued. They had just reached the edge of the tombs with their lungs on fire. Then Granny tripped and fell. The pain from being hit by debris and the exhaustion was just too much.

“I can’t. I can’t. Go without me Cora. GO!”

The ground rumbled.

“Go Cora please. If you love me. I cannot move. I am truly done.”

“Are you fecking mad? I will not leave you”

Cora tried to lift Eugenia up under the arms, and ended up just dragging her along the ground, but not quick enough.

The ground rumbled.

The T. rex spied them. The Spinosaurus sniffed and headed towards the T. rex who was drooling over the women. Food.

Just then Mulan and Ruby had ran back to them. Covered in blood.  
Mulan grabbed Granny's and Cora’s hand.

“Look at me Eugenia. This is not real. Say it, say it over and over and believe it with all your heart. Cora, Ruby do the same. You love life, you love the people in your life, you love your home, even though the town people annoy the feck out of you, you wouldn’t have it any other way. All that is real...”

The Spinosaurus attacked the T. rex from behind. The two roaring giants were all teeth.

“...This is not real. You hear, since when do we have dinosaurs roaming the town. It can never be real. Think it, say it. Believe me. Trust me.”

The ground rumbled as they fought and went down. They hit the forest floor with a tremendous crash.  
The dinosaurs were almost on top of the women.

  
Holding hands, together loudly, “This is not real. This is not real. This is not real”.

The noise stopped.

A sharp mist of a wind out of nowhere curled around them, swept them up and dropped them out on the grass where this nightmare all started. The hole shrunk into nothingness. They were surrounded by the mangled contents of the hamper and shrivelled cut flowers.

They had been spat out.

Mulan searched through the debris and collected a couple of bottles of water. They drunk it with growing respect. Water had never tasted so good.

A quiet walk home. The town was busy but reassuring.

*

They relaxed in the closed diner and swapped their stories over a quick hot, but deserving meal that Ruby had rustled up. Cora saw to Eugenia’s wounds. Only few scratches mumbled Granny, while they speculated on what had happened.

“God’s underpants! I felt like an extra in One Million years B.C, Godzilla and Jurassic Park all combined. I am never watching a dinosaur movie again”.

“You say that now Granny, but knowing you, you’ll defy today and watch everything you can your hands on out of spite”.

Granny didn’t deny it, and smiled.

Mulan could only guess. She had thought about it in depth. Her experience had been too intense.

“Some sort of intelligent wormhole sucked us in. Played with us? used us as entertainment? Fed on us? It could read our minds and thoughts and therefore could easily manipulate us”.

“Ahhh. Granny and her dinosaurs”

Granny looked at Ruby guiltily.

“Either which way I now see when we believed what was happening, we were trapped and were in danger of our lives. Not just with the dinosaurs. I think that was a last resort. The moment we stopped believing in our hearts, it rejected us.”

Cora agreed. She wandered where the blue skins were that she had magicked away. She had half expected to find them drunk in the diner.   
They all reflected on what had happened. It had felt too real.  
Tomorrow Ruby would go to the waters edge and try to send Englebert some positive vibes, maybe even see his island.  
Mulan thought about her parents.  
Eugenia was happy to forget the skinny bitches.

She bent over and kissed Cora on the nose.

“You shouldn’t have put yourself in danger my love”

Cora smiled.

“From whence you came, forever I follow.”  
  
Time for a good nights sleep.  
Sweet dreams.

*

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working on another. :)

**Author's Note:**

> More to follow. 7 chapters.


End file.
